
Vegan & Gluten-free Leprechaun shortbread cookie bites – mini cookies perfect for St. Patty’s Day
Y’all know I love my COOKIES. There’s chocolate chip, almond butter, paleo chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, jam thumbprint… and about a dozen other cookie types that you betcha, I’ve tried! (more cookie recipes coming soon to my blog). But, one cookie I never tackled is the FAMOUS SHORTBREAD. This classic cookie is most commonly associated when gifting Christmas desserts but don’t think that it can’t also be enjoyable every other time of year!
Warning! These cookies are seriously addicting. The rich butter taste combined with the sweetness of sugar and crunch of the sparkling sugar will have you finishing off this pile of PURE GOLD quickly.
Since St. Patty’s day is a week away I just had to share my latest kitchen creation, these vegan & gluten-free shortbread cookies. The base is made from my favorite earth balance vegan butter then combined with Bob’s Red Mills 1 to 1 gluten-free flour and finished off with some green sparkling sugar to show our Irish pride! If you’re looking for other vegan/dairy-free butters to use for these cookies or in other recipes, check out my post here for some inspiration!
This recipe makes 25+ cookies. So cut in half if you’re looking for a smaller amount. This recipe can also be used for full size cookies, just cut larger pieces when measuring your cookies.
This recipe also pairs perfectly with my latest creation – Vegan & Gluten-free Shamrock Shake (McDonald’s Copycat)!
Jump to RecipeThe perfect tiny shortbread bites ☟

Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted Vegan butter, cold, diced – For a list of good ones to use check out my post here
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups gluten-free baking flour
- Green sparking sugar or green nonpareils
Look at these!! ☟

I see green. Show your Irish pride or attract a lucky leprechaun! ☟

Directions
- Line a 13X9 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, either by hand or with an electric mixer, cream together cold diced butter and sugar until well combined. Mixture will appear crumbly, this is okay.
- Add in vanilla extract, mix.
- Slowly add in flour, cup by cup. Mixture will be separated and crumbly. Keep mixing, it will take some time but soon a dough will start to form. Mine too about 10 minutes of mixing.
- Add in green sparkling sugar, mix.
- Press dough into your prepared baking dish with parchment paper and flatten out. I did this with my hands and then used a flat cup to help smooth it out. Sprinkle more sprinkles on top and press into the dough. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F and take out a baking tray. Don’t grease, helps the cookies not spread as much.
- Take dough out of fridge and cut into 1/2 inch squares using a sharp knife. Place on baking tray about 1 inch apart. Repeat.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes and keep remaining dough in the fridge between baking.
- Once cooked let sit for 5 minutes before transferring to a plate or rack. Repeat with remaining dough.
- ENJOY 🙂
This recipe yields about 20+ cookies.
Storage:
- Keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Enjoy with my Vegan & Gluten-free Shamrock Shake (McDonald’s Copycat)

Vegan & Gluten-free Leprechaun shortbread cookie bites
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted Vegan butter cold, diced
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups gluten-free baking flour
- Green sparking sugar or green nonpareils
Instructions
- Line a 13X9 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, either by hand or with an electric mixer, cream together cold diced butter and sugar until well combined. Mixture will appear crumbly, this is okay. Add in vanilla extract, mix. Slowly add in flour, cup by cup. Mixture will be separated and crumbly. Keep mixing, it will take some time but soon a dough will start to form. Mine too about 10 minutes of mixing.
- Add in green sparkling sugar, mix.
- Press dough into your prepared baking dish with parchment paper and flatten out. I did this with my hands and then used a flat cup to help smooth it out. Sprinkle more sprinkles on top and press into the dough. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F and take out a baking tray. Don’t grease, helps the cookies not spread as much. Take dough out of fridge and cut into 1/2 inch squares using a sharp knife. Place on baking tray about 1 inch apart. Repeat. Bake for 8-10 minutes and keep remaining dough in the fridge between baking.
- Once cooked let sit for 5 minutes before transferring to a plate or rack.
- Repeat with remaining dough.
- ENJOY 🙂
Notes
Keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Enjoy with my Vegan & Gluten-free Shamrock Shake (McDonald’s Copycat)
My other vegan & gluten-free dishes ☟
- Vegan & Gluten-free Shamrock Shake McDonald’s Copycat – Easy recipe, Gluten-free, Vegan, Dairy-free
- The Best DIY St. Patrick’s Day Decorations – 30+ DIYS
- Gluten-free & dairy-free Cottage Pie – homemade mashed potatoes {Vegan options}
- Which Vegan/dairy-free butter is the best for baking? – trying them all & my conclusion!
- Gluten free & Vegan Tempeh BLT Sandwich
- Gluten-free & Dairy free Jam filled butter cookies – Grandma’s favorite with a buttery soft inside
- Raw vegan pistachio bites- delicious bites of health
Thank you so much for reading today’s post! Have a great day everyone. 🙂
Latest Posts
6 Comments
Coffeeandcream
March 10, 2021 at 2:28 pm
How pretty and delicious!
DIY Lifestyle
March 10, 2021 at 2:35 pm
Thank you! 🙂
AnneSea
March 10, 2021 at 11:16 am
These look adorable!!! I’ll have to try them out 🙂 Shortbread cookies are the best!
DIY Lifestyle
March 10, 2021 at 11:49 am
Thank you! And yes they are the perfect bite size. Please do report back here with how you liked them! 🙂